Gas-generator for explosive-engines.



S. W. PEREGRINE. GAS GENERATOR r011 EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. APPLICATION FILEDNOV. 5, 1910.

1,072,402, A Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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S. W. PEREGRINE.

GAS GENERATOR FOR EXPLOSIVE ENUINJJR APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 5, 1010,

1,072,402, lsxtentml Sept. 2, 1913.

SEYMOUR W. PEREG'BINE, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

GAS GENEBATOR FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent ed Sept. 2,1 913.

Application filed November 5, 1910. Serial No. 590,945.

To all whom it may concern lie it known that I, SEYMOUR W. Pannoni'ivn,a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county ofCumben land and State of Maine, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gas Generators for Explosive-Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference be ing had therein to theaccompanying drawmg.

This invention relates to an improvement in gas generators for explosiveengines, and more particularly to a gas generator of the type which isespecially adapted for use on motor vehicles.

One of the obj ccts of the present invention is the provision ofanimproved device of this character with which the heavier or crudertypes of volatile oils can be used with the same degree of efliciency asthe purer or lighter types.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of adevice of this character in which the air which is drawn through theengine radiator and casing and into contact with the engine cylindersand thus heated, is subsequent to its passage through the engine hood orcasing, sprayed beneath the surface of an oil to generate the explosivemixture.

A. further object, of the invention is the provision in a device of thischaracter of means for utilizing the exhausts of the enginc to heat theoil which is used to produce the explosive mixture.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a deviceof this charactor which is so constructed that it may be readily appliedto any of the present types of motor vehicles.

Other objects of the present invention will be apparent from thedetailed description hereinafter when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein a convenient en'ibodiment of the inventionis illustrated and wherein like characters of reference refer to similarparts in the several views.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, arts beingshown in section, of a motor vo licle equipped with the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a motor vehicle body equippedwith the present invention, parts being shown in Section, l ig. 3 is a.cross section of the carburetor, Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of thecarburetor, Fig. 53 is a. side elevation of the gas supply pipe and thegas and air valves therein.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A designates the frameof a motor vehicle which may be oi any suitable type, and upon theforward portion of which is supported the engine 1"), which may be ofany well known type. The engine it is provided with the gas supply pipeB, and with the usual exhaust pipe it", which extends to the rearportion of the vehicle. The engine is incloscd by the usual hood (3, thefront of which is formed by the radiator C. Positioned within theForward portion of the engine hood (l at one side of the engine B is asuction fan I) which is provided with an inlet opening in the rear sidethereof and with a peripheral outlet. opening. The fan I) is preferablydriven fronrthe engine shaft and serves when :uvtuatcd to draw airthrough the radiah'ir in the front of the hood and between thc'cylindersol the engine, so that when the air passes into the fun it will, havebeen highly heated by reason oi. its Contact with the radiator andcylinders of the engine,

Positioned beneath the seat of the motor vehicle or in any otherconvenient location, is a large oil storage tank 16, one portion ofwhich is partitioned oil to form a smaller compartment l, which Formsthe casing for the carburetor, or said carburetor may be separate andplaced near the engine. lositioned within the carburetor is an air feedpipe (l which extends longitudinally of the carburetor and one end oilwhich is connccted by the pipe G to the peripheral outlet of the tan 1)heretofore referred to. Lying in the, lower portion of the carburetor Fare a plurality of spray pipes ll, the ends of which are closed and theupper portions of which are provided with a plurality of small openingstherein. l lo h oi the spray pipes H is connectml with the air iced pipe(l by a branch pipe h. The carburetor 1* communicates wllh the storagetank through a valved port y, and inlets X in the pipe 7, and the valve(mull-oiling such port is controlled by means of a [loat l which ispositioned within the carlmreter, so as not to all'ect its working whenthe vehicle is asccruling or descending an incline. and which serves toalways maintain a fixed and constant ievel of oil in the carburetor,such level being considerably above the spray pipesH heretofore referredto. From the construction heretofore described, it will be seen that thehot air which is drawn from the engine casing and along the exhaust pipeis sprayed below the surthe carburet-er by the suction of the engine.

cylinder, so that it will. be seen that heated air will be passed to theoil chamber of the carburcter whether the fan is in operation 3 or notso long as the engine is running.

If desired, the outlet of the fan may be con nected directly to the endof the casing T so that the air will be first heated by contact with theengine cylinders and further'heated by contact with the exhaust pipe asit is passed to the carburetor. To further facilitate the gasificationof the oil in the carbureter, means are provided for heating the sameand in the present embodiment of the invention, the exhaust of theengine is utilizcd for this purpose.

In the construction disclosed in the drawings K designates a pipe whichis coiled for a considerable portion of its length about the exterior'ofthe exhaust pipe B of the engine, and the ends of which communicate withthe carbureter F, one end of said'pipe communicating with thecarburcterbelow the level of the liquid contained therein, and the other end ofsaid pipe communicating with. the carbureter, just above the level ofthe liquid contained therein. From this construction, it will beseenthat the heat of the exhaust pipe will heat such oil as is contained inthe coil K, and will cause a con stant circulation of the oil in thecarburetor through said coil, so that in a comparatively short time allof the oil in the carburetor will be heated.

Positioned in the upperportion of the carxbureter F and extendingtransversely there of, is a fine screen L, which may be formed either ofcloth or of wire gauze, which breaks up the globules and acts as acondenser to remove all moisture from the gas when it passestherethrongh, it being well known. that a dry will allow of a muchgreater percentage of air in. the mixture than a wet gas.

The engine supply pipe communicates with the carburetor F above thescreen L, and such supply pipe has formed therein an air port M whichcommunicates directly.

withthe'outcr air and through which air is ovaeoa drawn in and mixedwith the gas as the same passes to the engine through the supply pipe B.The port M may be closed when desired by means of the valve M, which iscarried by a suitable valve arm M pivotally supported in any suitablemanner upon the side of the supply pipe B In starting the-engine it isdesirable to close the a r port M and for this purposeacable M 1sprovided which is connected to one end of a stem which extendsdownwardly from the valve M and projects through the pipe B, and whichextends forwardly to the front of the car, or where convenient, andterminates in an operating handle M which is sup? ported in any suitablemanner at one side of the radiator C, so as to be convenient to theoperator when startin the engine. Positioned within the supp y pipe B isalso a gas valve throttle N, which maybe of any desired construction andwhich enables the connection between the engine and carburetor to beclosed or opened in the usual wayby the lever S, when it is founddesirable to do so. Thegas throttle'N and the air valve 1 are preferablyconstructed so that the may both be operated at the same time y thelever S through the gas valve and the arm M and that the air valve M maybe closed independently ofthe gas valve in starting the engine. Toobtain this result the arm M of the air valve is loosely mounted on thestem of thethrottle valve N which projects outwardly beyond the side ofthe supply pipe B, so as to be capable of a slight independent movementrelative thereto, a pin and slot connection being conveniently providedfor this purpose between the arm M and the stem of the throttle valve N.Interposed between the arm M and the stem of the throttle valve is aspring U which normally holds the arm M in such a position on the stemof the throttle valve that when the throttle valve is moved from aclosed to an open position, the air valve will, through the arm M bealsomoved to an open position. By reason of the fact that the arm M iscapable of a slight inde pendent movement on the stem of the throttlevalve, the operator may, when the throttle valve is open, close the airvalve by manipulating the handle M heretofore referred to, so as toobtain a rich charge to facilitate starting. As soon as the handle isreleased the spring will restore the air valve to its normal position.

While a convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, it will be understood that the invention is notlimited to the particular form and construction therein shown, as

many changes may be made to such form.

and construction without departing from the spirrt'and scope of theinvention as defined 1n the appended claims.

It is usual in automobiles to place the gasolene tank in the positionshown in the drawings herein, namely, transversely of the machine, andby placing the carburetor in such a tank there is gained the advantageof immediate supply and also by heating the air introduced into thecarburetor or carbureting chamber in the tank the fluid of the tank ismore or less tempered or heated, thus gaining the advantages gained inthe usual type wherein the carburetor is positioned adjacent the engine.By locating the carbureter in the tank, it is well positioned to preventwhat is now commonly known as back firing and at the same time it issealed against the entrance of dust or Cinders. One of the advantages ofthe distribution efi'ected by the U-shapcd pipes is that of equaldistribution throughout the carbureting chamber of the heated air fromthe engine and by the construction shown a very rapid carburation of theair is effected in the carbureting chamber.

It is quite frequent in automobile service to have the fluid feedeffected by the tilting or swaying of the car, thus varying more or lessthe amount of fluid allowed to enter the carburetor. By forming thefloat I elongated and -positioning it near the bottom of the carburetingchamber, the same is rendered active for the purposes of maintaining theproper amount of fluid in the carbureting chamber irrespective of thetilting movement or sidewise tilt of the machine.

I claim 1. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an explosive engine,of an oil storage tank located iii rear of the engine, a carburetingchamber positioned within said tank and extending transversely of thevehicle, means for supplying heated air from the engine to thecarbureter, a valve for establishing communication between said storagetank and the carbureting chamber, an operating member for said valve, anelongated float positioned in the carbureting chamber and substantiallyco-extensive in length with the width of said carbureting chamber, and apivotal connection between said float intermediate the ends thereof andsaid operating member, whereby the Heat is free to tilt in a planetransversely of the vehicle.

2. In a carburetor, a carbureting chamber, means for supplying airthereto comprising an air supply pipe provided with a plurality ofoppositely disposed spaced branches, extending downwardly into thecarbureting chamber, a liquid storage tank, a valve for establishingcommunication between said storage tank and said carliureting chamber,an operating member for said valve, an elongated float positioned in thecarburctin chamber between the oppositely disposed branches of the airsupply pipe, said branches serving to guide the float in its verticalmovement, and a pivotal connection" between the central portion of saidfloat and said valve operating member whereby the float may tilt in thevertical plane of its major axis.

3. In a gas engine, the combination with an explosive engine, of acarburetor, means for supplying air to the carburetor, means forconducting the carbureted air from the carbureter to the engine, anexhaust pipe, and a conduit leading from the carbureting chamber to apoint adjacent and in heating proximity to the exhaust and back into thecarbureting chamber.

4. In a gas generator for motor vehicles, the combination with anengine, a casing for the engine, an exhaust pipe for the engine, acarburetor adapted to contain a supply of oil, a gas supply pipe lead ngfrom the carburetor to the engine, an air supply ipe leading to thecarlmrcter below the Oil liavel therein, a fan comnmnicuting with theinlet end of said supply pipe and adapted to draw air through the enginecasing and into contact with the engine therein 'and force the same tothe carburetor, and an air pipe surrouinling the engine exhaust pipe andhaving its rear end connected to said air supply pipe and its front endopen to the air.

In testimony whereof I nliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.V

\Vitnesses:

LENA B. Dnommn, Enrru M. IliNcKLEY.

